Story No. 4 From 2011-12: Softball Team Is Most Improved In The Nation
July 11, 2012 | General, Softball
Throughout the summer, the Bowling Green Athletics Department will be counting down the top 10 stories of the 2011-12 school year, as voted on by members of the Athletics Department administration and the Athletics Communications Department. We will release the list one at a time throughout the summer, until the No. 1 moment of 2011-12 is revealed on Wednesday, Aug. 1 -- the day before BGSU football camp opens.
By winning 24 more games than in 2011, the Bowling Green softball team was the most improved in the country in 2012. With low expectations entering the season, the Falcons improved from 12-32 a year ago to 36-22 this year, competing for a regular season conference championship down to the final weekend of the season. In fact, the 36 wins ended just one shy of the school record for a season.
It didn't take long for BGSU to show that 2012 would be an improved year as the Falcons equaled the team's 12 wins from 2011 just 19 games into the season. By the time Mid-American Conference play started, Bowling Green already had 15 wins and the Falcons added another 15 league victories. The team's improvement in conference was just as impressive as the overall win total as BGSU improved from 6-15 to 15-7.
The Falcons took over first place in MAC play by winning 15-of-18 games midway through the season and went into the final weekend of conference play just one game out of first. Shannon Salsburg was named MAC Coach of the Year, while Jamie Kertes was named MAC Freshman of the Year and First Team All-MAC. Hannah Fulk was named First Team All-MAC and Paris Imholz earned All-MAC Freshman Team honors.
Bowling Green was one of only two teams in the country to win at least 20 more games than a year ago and the second-most improved team, Colorado State, only improved by 21 games. Listed below is all NCAA Division I softball teams that had at least a 15-win increase:
24 - Bowling Green
21 - Colorado State
19 - Coastal Carolina
17 - IPFW, Louisville, Marshall, Ohio State, Oregon State, South Florida, UCF
16 - Arkansas, Stony Brook, Villanova
15 - Florida State, Penn
Countdown of the Top 10 Stories of 2011-12
No. 1 - Released Wednesday, Aug. 1
No. 2 - Released Wednesday, July 25
No. 3 - Released Wednesday, July 18
No. 4 - Softball Is Most Improved Team In The Country
No. 5 - The Stroh Center Rap Goes Viral
No. 6 - Women's Basketball Wins MAC Regular Season Championship
No. 7 - Men's Soccer Defeats No. 9 Michigan 2-0 In Front Of Record Crowd
No. 8 - Jennifer Roos Named Women's Basketball Coach
No. 9 - Hockey Team Beats No. 2 Michigan; Sets Arena Attendance Record The Next Night
No. 10 - Torian Oglesby Sets NCAA Record By Making 26 Consecutive Field Goal Attempts
Notable "Other" Moments
By winning 24 more games than in 2011, the Bowling Green softball team was the most improved in the country in 2012. With low expectations entering the season, the Falcons improved from 12-32 a year ago to 36-22 this year, competing for a regular season conference championship down to the final weekend of the season. In fact, the 36 wins ended just one shy of the school record for a season.
It didn't take long for BGSU to show that 2012 would be an improved year as the Falcons equaled the team's 12 wins from 2011 just 19 games into the season. By the time Mid-American Conference play started, Bowling Green already had 15 wins and the Falcons added another 15 league victories. The team's improvement in conference was just as impressive as the overall win total as BGSU improved from 6-15 to 15-7.
The Falcons took over first place in MAC play by winning 15-of-18 games midway through the season and went into the final weekend of conference play just one game out of first. Shannon Salsburg was named MAC Coach of the Year, while Jamie Kertes was named MAC Freshman of the Year and First Team All-MAC. Hannah Fulk was named First Team All-MAC and Paris Imholz earned All-MAC Freshman Team honors.
Bowling Green was one of only two teams in the country to win at least 20 more games than a year ago and the second-most improved team, Colorado State, only improved by 21 games. Listed below is all NCAA Division I softball teams that had at least a 15-win increase:
24 - Bowling Green
21 - Colorado State
19 - Coastal Carolina
17 - IPFW, Louisville, Marshall, Ohio State, Oregon State, South Florida, UCF
16 - Arkansas, Stony Brook, Villanova
15 - Florida State, Penn
Countdown of the Top 10 Stories of 2011-12
No. 1 - Released Wednesday, Aug. 1
No. 2 - Released Wednesday, July 25
No. 3 - Released Wednesday, July 18
No. 4 - Softball Is Most Improved Team In The Country
No. 5 - The Stroh Center Rap Goes Viral
No. 6 - Women's Basketball Wins MAC Regular Season Championship
No. 7 - Men's Soccer Defeats No. 9 Michigan 2-0 In Front Of Record Crowd
No. 8 - Jennifer Roos Named Women's Basketball Coach
No. 9 - Hockey Team Beats No. 2 Michigan; Sets Arena Attendance Record The Next Night
No. 10 - Torian Oglesby Sets NCAA Record By Making 26 Consecutive Field Goal Attempts
Notable "Other" Moments
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